The mayor of the town of Lake View has pleaded guilty to an ethics violation.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Wednesday the conviction of Paul Calhoun. The 45-year-old man pleaded guilty to the Class A misdemeanor. A sentencing date has not been set, but he faces up to a year in prison or a fine of up to $6,000.
Calhoun was appointed mayor of the Tuscaloosa County town in 2016 and was elected to a four-year-term shortly after. Following a dispute with the town council regarding official travel and whether he would be required to reimburse the town for unauthorized expenditures incurred out of state, Calhoun, as a voting member of the Lake View Town Council, voted “no” on a motion to compel the payment, causing a tie that led to the failure of the motion, Marshall said.
Calhoun was arrested July 9 and released from jail the same day. As part of today’s guilty plea, Calhoun agreed to resign from office and not seek re-election in the upcoming municipal election.
“Former Mayor Calhoun crossed the line when he violated state ethics laws for his personal benefit,” said Attorney General Marshall. “We expect public officials to conduct themselves with integrity and when they do not, they will be held to account.”
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